During his working visit to Brussels, President Stevo Pendarovski met today with the Vice President of the European Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli.
At the meeting with the Vice President of the European Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Borrell, President Pendarovski said that in the past North Macedonia has shown political maturity and maximum focus in achieving its European perspective. Emphasizing that the integration of North Macedonia is in the interest of stability, security and prosperity of the entire region, President Pendarovski stressed the need for the European Union to further strengthen its role, which will have a positive impact on the overall political process, reform agenda and, generally, on optimism in the societies of the Western Balkan countries.
The interlocutors also referred to the situation in the Union and in our country, related to the fight against Covid-19, as well as the immunization process. In this context, President Pendarovski welcomed the solidarity of the European Union and thanked for the overall support and assistance in dealing with the pandemic, and expressed expectation that by the end of August the vaccines that North Macedonia should receive through the mechanisms within the Union will arrive.
At the meeting with the President of the European Parliament, Sassoli, opinions and information were exchanged on the progress of North Macedonia in the key reform areas in the context of the European integration process, as well as on the current challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Both interlocutors stressed the extremely important continuous communication of our institutions with the European Parliament, which lays a solid foundation for significant progress in the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement, as well as the process of integration and accession to the European Union. Expressing satisfaction with the strong and principled support of the EP in that direction, President Pendarovski stressed that the adoption of the negotiating framework and the holding of the first intergovernmental conference in the near future, is our key priority.
